Jet from Langley crashes in Alaska

Jet from Langley crashes in Alaska
No one was seriously injured in the collision that happened during a
training exercise.
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS An F-15 fighter jet from Langley Air Force Base
crashed Monday in Alaska after colliding in mid-air with another military
jet during a training exercise, Air Force official
June 12, 2007
The other jet landed safely, and no one was seriously injured.

The pilot of the F-15C "Eagle" ejected before the crash and was taken a
military hospital, said Airman Jennifer Anton, a spokeswoman at Eielson Air
Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska.

The F-15C pilot's name was not released Monday night, but he was assigned to
the 71st Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing.

"You never want to lose an aircraft, but you certainly never want to lose an
airman," said Air Force 1st Lt. Rachel Sherburne, a Langley Air Force Base
spokeswoman. "We're just thrilled that he's OK. Our biggest concern is for
our people."

The F-16C was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, Anton said.

While it was not immediately clear what caused the collision, it appeared
that the F-16's wing had been clipped by the F-15C, another Air Force
spokesman in Alaska said.

A board of Air Force officers will investigate the accident, which occurred
at 11:23 a.m. Alaska local time and about 90 miles east of Fairbanks in
Alaska's interior.

The pilots were flying in the Pacific Alaska Range Complex, a 60,000-acre
training ground.

It was mostly cloudy with scattered showers at the time of the collision,
the National Weather Service said.

The simulated combat training exercise includes more than 1,400 military
members from the United States, Singapore and Australia and is scheduled to
run through June 15.